Cause and Effect
by Paper Bullet
Summary: When a seemingly normal fight brews between her and Ichigo, Rukia says something that may change the way he looks at her forever. IchiRuki


**Cause and Effect**

_Part One: Cause_

It was meant to be a small, snide remark. Really, it was. In no way, shape, or form was it intentional that one tiny, little comment would be the detonator for the blowout about to ensue. In no way was it intentional that said blowout would lead to a huge change in their friendship.

It was a Saturday morning, before the Sun was even up. Rukia awoke to the sound of Ichigo snoring. She slid open the closet door and smiled slightly as she saw him lazily taking comfort in the warmth of his own bed.

One leg had been swung over the side, his foot on the ground. An arm rested across his stomach, his other one over his eyes as if blocking the nonexistent rays of sunlight. A slight trail of drool dribbled down the side of his chin, creating a small damp spot on his pillow.

This was one of the few exceptions when it came to Ichigo always wearing a scowl. Although, even sometimes in his sleep he had an angry face painted on, there were instances like this morning that he didn't. He looked...Innocent. Like he hadn't ever gotten Rukia's powers and became a substitute soul reaper. Like everything was fine in the world.

Rukia had planned on yelling at him until he stopped his noisy snore, but she couldn't find it in her heart (for once) to disturb him. She slid the door back and laid down on her makeshift bed. How long had it been since she first met Ichigo? How many nights had she spent sleeping in Ichigo's closet?

Sure, it was convenient for her to be close next to Ichigo at all times in case a hollow showed up, but wasn't there some _other _influence? Wasn't there some _other _reason she found herself constantly around him?

Rukia shook her head from any thoughts she had. Of course there was no other reason! And if there were, it was probably because (and admitting it aloud would prove quite difficult) Ichigo was her best friend. They knew each other, possibly even before they met. With just one glance, one could 99 percent of the time tell what the other was thinking of.

She put her hands behind her head as she stared toward the ceiling of the closet. Her eyelids slid closed as she tried to let sleep claim her before the Sun came up and everyone started moving about in the house, making noise that would stop any hopes of falling asleep.

Her attempt was foiled when a beeping sound rang in her ears. She sighed and sat up, picking up the detector. What luck she had. The young shinigami opened the sliding door and hopped out, Ichigo already sitting up. He usually wasn't so...Alert. Maybe her months and months of beating sense into him had finally started working. Maybe--

"Hey. What're you doing up so early?" he asked groggily, scratching the back of his head.

Maybe he still needed work. "No time for that, there's a hollow near the park."

This, grabbing Ichigo's attention, made him stand from his bed and walk over to her. "Alright, then let's go."

One thing they shared in common was that there default expression was none. Their default tone was serious, and rarely did emotion just randomly show up. It took _a lot _to wipe the scowl off their faces.

Racing down the street, Rukia still wore her (technically Yuzu's) pajamas and Ichigo had already used his badge for now he was in shinigami form.

Ichigo slid to a halt when an excessively large hollow appeared in front of them. 'Heh, the bigger they are, the harder they fall when I knock their ass out,' he mused and reached behind him, placing a hand on Zangetsu.

The voice of the hollow was distorted, and it sounded like some cheesy villain's voice from a video game. "What luck  
I have run into. I simply love the taste of soul reapers. Come at me boy!"

"No problem." Ichigo said loudly as he dashed toward the hollow, his path not straight as he moved from side to side in case the pesky thing decided to attack from a distance. Zangetsu was held out in front of him, the pointy tip looking mighty dangerous.

It did not intimidate the hollow, for he boasted about having already devoured many shinigami in the past. A green tentacle whipped in front of him, protecting itself from Ichigo's blows.

"Ichigo, watch out!" Rukia yelled.

The orange-haired boy jumped back as another green tentacle shot at him. "Damn, they're all over the place." he said to himself as they seemed to duplicate non-stop.

Rukia raised her hands and began a hadou spell, but was stopped as she jumped and rolled out of the way from an attack. "He can attack us simultaneously Ichigo, so don't play around this time! End it quickly!"

"Yeah, I know that." Ichigo retorted, slashing through the many sprouts from the hollow. "Damn, they just keep coming!" he yelled, cutting through more.

Rukia once again started a hadou spell, this time getting much further. "...Hadou Number 33, Blue F-" she jumped out of the way. It seemed as though it was only interested in fighting Ichigo, and not her.

Ichigo let out one of his classic battle yells as he charged forward, cutting through the dozens of vine-like tentacles. Once he made a satisfactory impact on the hollow itself, he failed to notice the cut-off tentacles moving around on the ground.

Rukia stomped her foot on one as it inched toward her. Another one wrapped itself around her leg, but she quickly pulled it off, snapping it.

Ichigo finally made the finishing blow while in the air. He landed with a slight thud as his feet landed on sand from the park.

* * *

After making it home and eating breakfast, Ichigo noticed Rukia pulling on her shoes. "Going somewhere?" he asked with curious eyebrows raised.

"Out."

"Where out?"

"Just out. Why do you have to know everywhere I go?" Rukia snapped.

"I was just curious!" Ichigo said, standing from the table and walking over to her.

Trying to intimidate her with his height, eh? Pfft, they were practically the same! So what if he was an inch or two taller. She stood on the tip of her toes to lessen the height difference. "Well then stop! I've already told you where I'm going!"

"I hardly think 'out' is a reasonable explanation. Where out?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Since when did you become my boss and have to know everywhere I went?!" she yelled back.

"I'm not saying that. But I _am _your partner, and it'd be nice if you let me in every once in a while!"

"Whatever." Rukia said, turning her back to him.

Ichigo growled and twisted her around by her shoulders. "Just tell me where you're going. I don't think you'd have a problem telling me if it wasn't somewhere you weren't supposed to be!"

Rukia's arms were straight down, shaking in anger. "I'm going to fuck Renji! How bout that? Does that give you a satisfying answer?!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

When the realization of the extremity of what she just said hit, her features softened. That was not what she meant at all. It was a joke. A sadistic, mortifying joke in attempt to get him to back off. She was only going to Urahara's shop for more supplies, but the argument-lover inside of her made its presence and refused to just let it go.

Ichigo stared down at her blankly. "I see..." he trailed off and adverted his gaze away from her.

"No, Ichigo--"

"Stop. No need to cover it up any longer." he said, his eyes still avoiding hers. "Besides, always knew you two had something. Renji's a good guy, ya know." he told her with a smirk.

Was that how he really felt? He wanted them two together? "...Ichigo, I--"

"Go. You'll probably be later for your...Er...'Date', heh." he said with the most un-genuine smile ever.

Rukia glanced down and stood in silence for a minute. "Right." she said softly and walked out the front door.

Ichigo stared at the wall for a moment before punching it. His fist connected with it again and he rested his forehead on the wall. He'd never felt this awful before, out of all the fights he'd been in, out of the time he was in the Soul Society, out of everything. 'I was such a fool.'

Rukia crossed her arms over her chest as the slightly cold wind nipped at her skin. 'I was such a fool.' She didn't know where her legs were taking her, but they had wandered off from her destination to Kisuke. Her eyes never left the ground until she felt two hands rest on her shoulders. She looked up to see a very red-headed man in front of her.

"Hey, Rukia. Why so down?" he asked with a smile. He then saw her eyes shimmer from unshed tears. He knew it had to of been serious for her to be on the brink of crying.

Rukia put on a false smile. "No reason," she lied and changed the subject. "Pretty cold outside, huh?"

Renji raised an eyebrow at this. Rukia _never_ made small talk, especially something as trivial as the weather. Something was definitely up. "Rukia..."

"Hm?" she let out and looked up to him again.

Oh God, he hated that look on her face. She looked like a broken-hearted puppy. Not at all the Rukia he was used to. Her attitude was always more strong and had masculinity in it, but now she was acting all sad and sappy. It was an unusual sight, even for him. "C'mon Rukia, what's the matter?" he asked.

"I already told you it's nothing!" she snapped back.

If it weren't for the fact he knew it was a lie, he would've been glad that the Rukia he knew was back. He sighed and looked down at her with a mischievous smirk on his face. He inched closer to her with his hands out.

"W-what are you dong, Renji? I-I don't like that look in your eyes." she said, backing up a step.

Renji scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder and started walking. "We're going to Kurosaki's. We'll get the answer outta ya whether you like it or not. You should let us in sometimes, ya know. We're you're closest friends."

Rukia was lost when he mentioned Ichigo. "No! I can't go there!" she replied, hitting his back repeatedly, though her attempts of getting free were futile.

"Why not?" he asked, keeping an arm around her legs and pushing them to his chest so she wouldn't fall. Knowing her, she'd either kick him in the shin or place a binding spell on him so she could get out of telling him the problem. Both sounded like something he wouldn't enjoy.

"I just can't okay!" she yelled, a blush on her face. If she told him what she said to Ichigo...What would Renji think?!

_"I'm going to fuck Renji! How bout that? Does that give you a satisfying answer?!"_

She still couldn't believe she said that. But before she could protest any further, she felt her body go up as Renji jumped on the roof next to Ichigo's window. He slid it open and jumped through, setting Rukia down. "Where is the carrot-top anyway?" he asked, scratching his head.

"Renji, I'm leaving." Rukia said and stood up with a sigh.

Renji growled slightly. "Dammit Rukia!" he said with hands once again on her shoulders, though this time to shake some sense into her. "Just tell me what's wrong."

"It's none of your concern." she spoke, and in one fluid motion was out of his grip and out the door.

Night had rolled around, the only light produced was from the stars. Kurosaki Ichigo sat on his porch staring down at the ground as his thoughts ran wild inside his mind, which had proven in the past to be not-so-sturdy. This had just tipped him over the edge. "Heh, why should I care. Not like it matters." he mumbled to himself. He ignored the lithe figure that sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry." Rukia whispered softly.

"Well I sure as Hell ain't." Ichigo snorted. "You know, I'm glad you two have something together. After all, you guys are the more logical couple, right? I mean you've been friends since you were little kids." _How can I compete with that?_

Rukia smiled as she looked upwards toward the sky. "I see."

They almost always shared the same things; features, emotions, the works. But it wasn't always a good thing, because right now they were both oblivious to one another's hurt and feelings.

* * *

_Part Two: Effect_

Rukia sat at her desk, drawing cute woodland creatures; most likely bunnies. She, however, didn't fail to notice that someone had stepped in the classroom and walked right back out.

Ichigo had stepped in and spotted Rukia. He didn't know why, but he felt as if he shouldn't be around her alone. Or at least _couldn't_. He walked out without saying so much as his usual "Hey" and headed for nowhere. He bumped into the only other person he would rather see Rukia than.

"What's with the long face? Don't tell me you're gonna be all depressed now, too! First Rukia, now you?" Renji said lightheartedly.

"Get lost Renji."

Renji's smile faded and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "What's the matter with you Ichigo?"

"I said get lost." Ichigo retorted, his scowl unflinching and his tone not faltering.

Renji stopped walking behind the orange-haired boy, watching as he walked off. With a shrug, he turned around and headed to class. A few more students had piled in, but he simply went straight to Rukia. Standing in front of her desk, he slammed his hands down on the surface. When she didn't even show a sign of care and kept working, he spoke. "Alright, I'm tired of this. Whatever's wrong with you, you obviously told Kurosaki. Why can't you tell me?"

Rukia still scribbled on her paper, her concentration and attention seemingly sticking to the already finished drawing. "I didn't tell Ichigo."

"Aha! So there is something wrong," he crouched down so he was eye level with her. He was used to it with her height, but was forced to go even lower due to the fact she was sitting. "Why won't you just tell me what's bothering ya?"

Rukia smashed her pencil down on the desk and finally made eye contact with the sixth squad's vice captain. "Renji, if you really care, you'll stop asking me." she said softly but with a harsh-filled tone, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to regain her lost composure. Her eyes locked onto his and she couldn't take it anymore. She stood up from her desk and wrapped her arms around his stomach, the side of her head resting on his lower ribcage due to her height.

Renji's eyes were wide. He'd never...In all the time he'd known her, seen her bare so much emotion toward him. For her to be acting like this was absurd. His flexed eyebrows rested and he put a hand over her back. He had a sneaking suspicion Ichigo was the cause of how Rukia was acting. Neither Rukia nor Renji noticed the giggles and stares from the other students in the room. However, when Ichigo walked in...

Rukia's eyes had been closed, afraid that she might actually tear up around her classmates and friends. When she opened them, she saw Ichigo walking over to his desk. She was sure he had seen them, but...He didn't care? He really, truly didn't care, did he?

Ichigo sat at his desk, his face holding the usual frown and knitted eyebrows. That's how he sat through the class. And the next one, and the next one...

* * *

After school, and on the walk home, Rukia's hollow detector beeped. She flipped it open and read the coordinates as both Ichigo and Renji looked over her shoulder.

"There's two of them, conveniently located at the same region," she explained and then started running, the two boys right besides her. She kept staring down at the small monitor for any movements that would redirect them to another place.

After a good two miles, and having already stepped out of their gigai, the group came upon two large hollows, their faces almost identical.

"Soul reapers?"

"What a good little town this is!"

"I call dibs on the deliciously looking female."

"Fine by me. I'll take on Mr. Orange and Mr. Red."

They both spoke in monotonous voices, sometimes even completing the other's sentences.

"Just quit talking and do something already." Ichigo grunted, feeling the need to vent his frustration on _something_. Slicing a hollow would do.

When Renji saw the left one charging toward them, he held out his zanpakto with both hands. "Roar, Zabimaru!"

Meanwhile, Rukia had her own problems to deal with. She formed her hands and strongly read out one of her spells. "Blue Fire, Crash Down!" she finished, and a ball of blue light formed in her hand and shot forth, landing a direct hit on the hollow.

"Eh? Not bad shinigami, at least _some _fun will come out of this."

Rukia withdrew Sode no Shirayuki with a slight smile. She needed to vent her frustration on _something_. Sound familiar? She ran forward, striking down her enemy relentlessly.

Renji stood back in slight confusion. Was he even needed? He looked to his left. Ichigo was attacking the hollow repeatedly, when he could have just given it a clean finish and be done. His head snapped to his right. Rukia was doing the relative same, hitting her target over and over, when the opportunity to kill it presented itself more than once. Was he missing something?

After a few more minutes of slicing and dicing, Renji switched between the two once more. Ichigo panted heavily, and it was easy to see that he had worn himself out and pushed his limits. To the right, Rukia stood wobbly, like it was taking every bit of her strength just to stand.

What. The. Hell. The hollows were mice compared to any of their other enemies! Renji sighed and walked over to Rukia and ducked a head under her arm. He then walked him and her over to Ichigo and did the same with him on the opposite side. "Come on you two." he said with clear agitation.

Once at Ichigo's house, Renji dropped the both of them in the bedroom. "Alright, there's something going on between you two. And normally, I wouldn't keep poking at it, but it's starting to effect your fighting abilities. Do you know how much destruction you caused out there, fighting when it wasn't necessary?!"

"Since when did you become the voice of all that's good?" Ichigo snapped.

The red head stuck a pinky finger in his ear and twisted it back and forth. "I'm not, and I'm all for having some fun with a hollow, but not when there's human lives at stake. Tell me, would it still be fun if one of the buildings collapsed? Huh...Are you two even listening to me?!" he yelled and looked at the two. What a sight.

Ichigo was spread out across his bed, knocked out like a newborn. Rukia lay the opposite direction with her head near Ichigo's feet and her leg slung over his stomach.

Renji sighed.

* * *

Rukia awoke to a foot in her face. "Ughh, you idiot!" she yelled and jumped up.

Ichigo snapped up from his bed and looked around. "Huh? What is it?"

"Your foot was--!...What time is it?" she asked herself and then looked over to the clock. 3:07 AM. She glanced over to Ichigo who now seemed to be fully awake. Deep in thought, too.

"Tell me, do you...Love him?"

Rukia's features softened at his question and she sat next to him. "Who?"

"Renji, who the Hell else?"

"Oh." she said and then smiled. "No, not in the way that you would think. He's my friend, nothing less and certainly nothing more."

"So..."

"You had it all wrong Ichigo. Renji and I are just friends. I only said that to...I'm not sure why I said it."

"Wait, so...You and him--You aren't,"

"Nope." she interrupted. "But I guess we should be. I mean you seem to think fondly of it."

"Nahh, I only said that." Ichigo replied and laid back on the bed, hands behind his head.

Rukia smiled and then silence fell between them. She stood up and headed toward her closet. "Night Ichigo."

"Night Rukia."

When the Sun rose, Ichigo yawned and sat up. He stared into space openly as his mind wandered back a few hours. There was no denying the huge wave of relief that washed over him when he heard what she had to say. But he didn't dwell on that, because there was no reason for him to be relieved. He didn't care if they were together. Rukia was his best friend, his partner, but most definitely not his crush, let alone love. He stood up and walked over to her closet, knocking on it. "Hey, time to get up." When he heard no answer, he knocked again. "Did you hear me?! I said it's time to--" he stopped when he slid open the door, revealing she wasn't there. He scratched his head, wondering where she could've gone. Hopefully not to fuck Renji.

He shrugged and went downstairs, only to find Rukia talking to someone. "B-Byakuya?! What the Hell are you doing here?"

The elder Kuchiki sighed mentally at his lack of respect. "I came to visit my sister, if that's quite alright with you."

Ichigo eyed the two curiously. Bull. Shit. Since when did _Byakuya _just come to _visit _his sister? Never. Something had to be up. It was the only logical explanation.

"Uhm, go ahead Ichigo. I'll meet you at school," Rukia said with a fake smile.

He could see it in her eyes. It was that same look. The look she gave him when Byakuya and Renji came to take her to the Soul Society. That heart-wrenching look that he promised never to have her put on. God, no. It wasn't happening all over again was it? His eyes suddenly adverted to Byakuya and narrowed. "You're taking her again, aren't you?"

Byakuya glanced down to his younger sister, then to Ichigo. "She has decided to come back on her own accord."

Ichigo's face turned shock-filled. He bent down and placed his hands on Rukia's shoulders, looking her square in the eyes. "That's not true. You're being forced."

"No, Ichigo. It was my decision."

"So what, you were going to have me waiting at school like a complete idiot?" Ichigo snapped, subconsciously gripping her painfully hard.

Rukia put a hand on his arm, gently removing it from her. "It is better that I leave."

Ichigo stood up to his full height. "Is that what you really want?"

Rukia looked away from him, which only angered him further. It wasn't what she wanted, but damn it she couldn't take it any more! All of this drama. She was becoming way too attached here, and it was better to leave now than wait a year, wondering of what could have been. Before she could answer, he read her mind like a book.

"You don't. You want to stay Rukia. And if you truly wanted to leave, I'd be fine with it. But you don't, and I'm not going to sit here and watch you leave again."

Byakuya stood in between Ichigo and Rukia. "This is enough. Rukia has made her decision, and she will come back to the soul society where she will go about a normal shinigami day." he intervened. Because truth be told, he felt a whole lot more at ease with his sister somewhere he knew she was safe. Somewhere he could shunpo right to her if need be. He had respect for Ichigo, somewhat, for the fact he was defeated by him, but trust was another thing. He didn't trust this Ichigo kid with his sister, even if he had rescued her from the Sokyouku.

Ichigo's eyes were wide as he watched Byakuya walk past him, Rukia following. He grabbed her arm, causing her to look back at him. His eyes said all his mouth couldn't, and unknowingly to him, it made her want to leave even more. She couldn't risk getting emotionally hurt, when she had a duty to attend to. She couldn't risk developing feelings. Oh how she wished to be human, and be able to have a normal life. But this was the path she took, Renji too. They escaped a horrible life, and she was grateful.

He had to say something now. Anything. Just to stop her. What could he say? What could he do that would change her mind? He knew this isn't what she wanted, and refused to let her leave reluctantly. "Rukia...!" he started, an outstretched hand toward her.

Rukia paused, not looking back at him. Ichigo, seeing he caught her attention, now struggled to find what he wanted to say. "I...I want you to stay, Rukia."

Rukia sighed inwardly. Was she expecting something else? Nonsense, what else could she expect? It's not like she was assuming he would break out and give her some sappy lovey-dovey speech. Or tell her he loved her. '_What? Why am I thinking about that?_' she mused. "I'm sorry Ichigo."

"I l--" Ichigo froze, his face went pale. What was he about to say? Why was he suddenly choking on his tongue, and why were his palms so clammy and sweaty? Damn, he couldn't remember what he was going to say. Then it hit him. He had to make her stay some how..."Rukia...I...IloveyouRukia." His words had been so mushed together, _he_ couldn't even tell what he had just said.

Rukia, along with Byakuya, turned toward him. "What did you say?" she asked, her heart pounding hard against her ribcage.

Ichigo ran a distraught hand through his messy hair. "Stay Rukia."

An uneasy feeling coursed through the young girl's veins. Her head went light, and the room was spinning. What was it about how he had just said that? It was as if how he told her to stay was more heart-felt than his confession (which she thought she had imagined). "Okay."

"Okay?" Ichigo and Byakuya said simultaneously.

Rukia smiled and for once, she wanted to just...To just hug him. But she wouldn't do that; too much sappiness going on there. So she settled for a knowing smile between the two of them. Her thoughts were shaken when she heard her brother's clear and stern voice.

"Rukia, you wish to stay."

"I'm so sorry for wasting your time, brother." she said with a frown. Byakuya had nodded and turned on his heel to leave. Rukia then turned back to Ichigo. "Say it again." and when she received a quizzical look, she explained. "Your feelings for me."

Ichigo stepped back in shock slightly. He had said that, hadn't he? "I uhm...Heh..." he struggled hard, and could tell she was enjoying his pain, so he turned the tables. "Not until you go first."

If Rukia had been drinking, the liquid would be all over Ichigo, for she spat out as much air as she could. "W-What?' she asked, receiving a solemn stare in return. "This is ridiculous." she said and turned her back to him. Her eyes then softened. What was he to her? He was her partner of course. Her best friend. The one who saved her. But...Was there something else? Did she feel something toward him? "Ichigo..." she started. "I think that, our relationship is unique," she continued. "In the sense that we're so close, even when we had met that first night, I think I knew you inside and out."

Ichigo nodded mentally. He had known her, too. Because she was just like him. It was scary, and he was on the defense about being so similar to someone, but they truly were alike. Screw opposites attract, because for them it was the exact polar opposite. "Yeah." he said, and although the moment was nice, he much preferred their usual squabbling or hollow-fighting over this mushy crap. "So hey, let's go. We'll be late for school."

Rukia smiled and walked out the door. "Don't you think I'd know that, idiot?"

"Hey, who're you callin' an idiot, idiot!"

Rukia loved this. It was perfect, and in contrast to her romance novels, she much preferred this over those sincere moments. She now knew what Ichigo was to her. He was her guy. Simply put. Not boyfriend, not lover, not any other dolled up word. He was her guy and she was his girl. And whether they felt the same way about each other, which they undoubtedly did, it didn't matter because it had no effect on the relationship between them.

* * *

**A/N: **So, I wrote this at like...Oh, I don't know, 3 in the morning. So excuse any errors or lack of decent quality. I've never done a oneshot before, so I hope it at least meets your expectations. Go IchiRuki! Review, yah? **-Ami**


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